Self-locking safety device.



H. F. KRANTZ.

SELF LOCKING SAFE" DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 31.1915.

1,292,805. Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

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A TTOR/VEY H F KRANTZ SELF LOCKING SAFETY DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED JULY31.1915.

Patented Jan. 28,1919.

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ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 28, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

INVENKTQIQ ATTORNEY WITNESSES. fizz 2 UNITED s raas PATEN a ICE.

HUBER! F. KRAN'I'Z, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE TO KRAN'TZ MANUFAC-TUBING- OOMPANY, INQ, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SELF-LOCKING $AFETY DEVICE.

Application filed July 31, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUBERT F. lIRAN'rz, a citizen of the United States,and residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York,have invented a new and Improved Self-Locking Safety Device, of whichthe following specification is a full disclosure.

This invention deals with electrical switch mechanisms, and it proposescertain improvements insuring the operation thereof against accidentswhile at the same time affording facilities whereby certain parts may bereadily inspected and renewed.

Certain divisional applications have been filed as follows:

Serial No. 87,925tiled March 21, 1916, removable safety switch.

Serial No. 175,19lfiled June 16, 1917, electric switch instrumentality.

One object of this invention is to render available a switch mechanismin the nature of a panel board so designed and constructed that anordinary unskilled user will be barred from access to the switch bladesand the contacts therefor as well as from the replaceable fuse elements,thereby not only preventing him from injuring himself but alsopreventing him from surreptitiously substituting improper fuse elementswhile yet enabling him freely to open or close the switches.

Another object is to provide a panel board whereby the janitor of abuilding, or other similarly qualified person, may have access to thereplaceable fuse elements, but only when the circuit thereof is dead, sothat he will be unable to strike an are by withdrawing th fuse from alive circuit.

Another object is so to design the/ panel board that a regular inspectormay have access to all parts of the device, especially so that theswitch blades and their immediate operating parts may be removed asunits and may be examined away from the panel board or replaced bysimilar units.

A still further improvement insures that the switchshall be in openposition and with the circuit thereof dead before enabling the switchunit to be removed; thereby preventing the inspector from being injuredor from damaging any of the parts by opening the circuit in such a wayas to draw an are.

A still further object of this invention is Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1919..

Serial No. 42,956.

to devise a panel board arrangement such that a magnetic blow-out of thespark will be insured.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and inpart indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of thisinvention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and inthe relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as morecompletely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend theunderlying features thereof that they may embody the same by thenumerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by thisinvention, drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as apart of this disclosure,-

Figure 1 is a sectional plan showing one form of panel board conformingto this invention; parts being cut away to show the interior thereof.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showingfurther details thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevat-ion partly in sectionof a removable switch unit suitable for employment in the panel boardshown by Figs. 1 and Fig. a is an end elevation partly in section ofFig. 3, as seen along line ll thereof. Fig. 5 is a modified removableunit construction showing a somewhat different switch mechanism,alsocapable for use in connection with the panel board illustrated by'Figs. l and 2. Flg. 6 is an end elevatlon of Fig. 0 taken partly insection as seen along line 6-6 thereof. Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram.

Continuing now by way of a more detailed description, A denotes a panelbox consisting of a suitable base board 1, side walls 2 and end walls3', either stamped up integrally of sheet metal or build up separatelyof pieces of insulating material, according to preference. This panelbox preferably provides several separate compartments, 2'. 0., a gutterB for various line terminals; one or more switch compartments C; one ormore fuse compartments D; and a switch actuating compartment E which maybe permanently opened or may be closed by an outer door if desired.

stance.

Preferably these are separated from one another as by means ofpartitions 4, 5, 6,

etc., and they are all separated from the building, and in thisembodiment of this invention it is closed by means of a door 10 hingedat 11 and provided with a catch 12 whereby it maybe locked in placeunder conditions shortly to be mentioned. A handle 13 may be used foropening and closing this door. The compartment C containsswitch-operating elements of a unitary construction and each may beremoved as a unit by the inspector whenever necessary, and to that endthese parts may be held in place by ordinary screws in such a waythat-their removal can be easily accomplished with the properimplements. These removable units will now be described.

A removable switch-unit is shown best by Figs. 2, 3 and 4 and isindicated generally by F on Fig. 2, and it comprises a suspension plateor base 1% which is suitably configurated so that it. may be interlockedin place; as for example, by means of screws 15. This base plateprovides the ultimate mounting for the switch mechanism per se butpreferably it does not provide the contacts'for the switch blades. Inthe preferred form of unit, the switch blade is of laminatedconstruction as indicated by 16, being composed of copper stripsarranged echelon so as to produce oppositely angled beveled ends, andthe outer strips 17 and 18 may be of heavier construction and may carrypieces 19 which are made sufficiently durable to endure the spark.Clamping plates 20 and 21 of suitable insulating material are secured toa swinging block 22 by means of bolts 23. These blocks 22 have sideflanges 2% which are \perfo-rated to receive a shaft 25, which in turnpasses through the sides 26 of a supporting frame 27 secured to the baseplate 14 by means of screws 28. Two disks 29 of insulating material willprevent the switch blades 16 from coming int-o contact sidewise with thesupporting frame 26. The means for controlling the swing of the switchblade 16 will now be described.

An arm 30 extends radially from the swinging block 22 and is apertured'to provide the internal cam indicated by 31. This cam co-acts with aroller 32 pivoted to the end 33 of a hand lever G which is pivoted bymeans of a stud 3a to the side walls 26 of a supporting frame 27. Thisinternal cam 31 1s so contoured that when the parts are in the positionshown by Fig. 3 the switch blade will be sprung against a post 35 so asto impose a stress on all of the parts and enable them to remain in theposition as shown. This is achieved by designing the cam at the point 36in such a way that a tendency of the switch blade to move clockwiseunder the re-action against the post 35 will tend to hold or swing thelever G clockwise also; with the result that the parts will be in stableposition. This represents the dead or open circuit position of theswitch unit, and the I advantage of this construction is that when theunit is removed and handled when in this position, it tends to remainthus set or locked, and the attendant is thus enabled to replace theunit in the same relation that it is removed.

In replacing the unit, it is only necessary I to thrust the lower partthereof through the aperture providing admission to the compartment Cand then by means of screws 15 to bolt the base plate 14 of the unit tothe parts 37 and 38; whereupon the switch is ready for operation. Inoperation the insulating handle 40, which is secured to the exposed endof the lever G, is turned anti-clockwise. The effect of this is first tobreak the set or lock above noted and forthwith to swing the switchblade clockwise until its one end bears against the contact piece H andits other end against the contactpiece I forming part of the electricalconductors. This immediately establishes electrical connection betweenthe contact terminals I and H.

It may be noted that as the handle 40 enters its final position whenturned anticlockwise the blade will be sprung against these contacts andheld in that position by means of the peculiar contour of the cam at thepoint 41; or conversely as already explained. The effect of this is notonly to lock the switch bladm firmly against their electrical contactsbut also to insure a quick break when the handle 40 is swung clockwiseto open the circuit. The quick break effect is preferably furtheraccentuated bymeans of a magnetic blow-out as follows: The conductor Iis connected by means of a copper strap 42 with the ribbon or wire 43forming the winding of an electromagnet J which has its core or armature44 connected with pole pieces 45 which terminate at the arcing region ofthe terminal I. By this arrangement a magnetic field is set up acrossthe path of movement of the switch blade 16 so that when the circuit isbroken the arc will be blown out magnetically.

The terminal I receives its current through naeaeoe the intermediary ofa conductor 46 which is connected with the clip 47 adapted to receivethe fuse K. A similar clip 48 at the other end of the fuse provides apath for the flow of the current to other connections or terminals asmay be desired.

Reverting now to the switch unit, it is to be noted that a movabletongue L is so positioned during the actuation of the switch as tocontrol the opening of the door 10, and preferably also to prevent theremoval of the switch unit. In this instance this is accomplished bypivoting the tongue L at 50 to the link G and providing it with aslideway 51 cooperating with the stud 52 so that the tongue L will bewithdrawn or retracted from its efiective position when the switch isset into its dead position; and so that it will be projected into itseffective position when the switch has been moved or set into its liveposition. That is to say, when the switch is dead the tongue L will bein the position shown by Fig. 2; but when the switch is turned on thetongue L will project underneath the part 38, and will thus prevent thebase board 14 from being lifted up and away from said part; even thoughthe screw 15 be removed. When the switch is in this position the blade16 will also bear against the terminal H in such a way that the otherend of the base 14 cannot be lifted up for a similar reason. Thisconstruction, therefore, prevents the switch from being removed when itis in live position.

The means locking the door to the fuse compartment will now bedescribed. A spring latch M is mounted on the cross piece 53 in such amanner that it may slide back and forth and this latch terminates in ahead 5a which is beveled and which may enter the adjacent aperture orsocket 12 in a catch depending from the door 10 and thus prevent thedoor from being opened. Normally a spring 55 presses against the head 56and holds the latch 54 in the position shown by Fig. 2, but when theswitch is closed the tongue L will project against the head 56 and urgethe latch 54 into a position preventing any opening of the door 10.

The switch shown by Figs. 3 and 4 is of such a construction that springsmay be dispensed with entirely, if desired, because the parts may beheld in either one of their two extreme positions through pressuresderived from the resilient switch. blade 16, which, in its one positionis sprung against the circuit contacts, and in its other position issprun against the post 35. At the same time this switch provides asufliciently quick break for all practical purposes. especially incooperation with the magnetic blow-out. .In case a mechanically quickerswitch should be desired, this unit. may be interchanged by (Y x l b.

the spring actuated unit set forth in 5 and 6.

The detachable spring actuated switch mechanism shown by Figs. 5 and (3may be successfully used for all purposes with a magnetic blow out, andfor even most purposes without a magnetic blow-out. This unit comprisesa frame denoted generally by the character N, and which may be built ofa number of parts, as for example, the face plate 60 of insulatingmaterial and the metallic side flanges 61 connected thereto by means ofthe plate 62 and the screws (33. This face plate 60 is in turn contouredto interfit with the opening provided by the stationary supporting partor parts (34, which correspond with the parts 37 and 38 of Fig. 1;screws (S5, or other conventional means, being used to retain theseelements together temporarily. The face plate (50 is here formed withtwo segmental lips 66, supported by a slot 67 through which the shank 68of an operating handle 0 emerges. This shank terminates at the exposedside of the face plate (50 in a suitable hand grip (59 whereby theswitch mechanism may be operated, as will be understood. This shank ispreferably pivoted about the shaft 0; which constitutes the fixed orstationary pivot of a toggle which is broken and closed by the handle 0.

The other main operative elements are the non-floating swinging linksPP, the floating links @162, the swinging blade carrier R and the switchblade S. The links P and Q, constitute a toggle which, when broken,permits the blade or brush S to assume its open circuit position, andwhich, when erected or straightened, positively maintains the bladefirmly a ainst its contacts a. 6., in its closed circuit position.

A quick break mechanically is especially aimed at in this embodiment andthe construction is such that a spring under tension (augmented by thekick of the spring blade) is abruptly rendered effective, withouthindrance, to break the circuit by the inStanta neous rebound of asuddenly released tensioned resilient blade. To that end, the erectedtoggle is arranged to hold the blade flexed against the contacts, and ahand-operated lever providing sufficient lost motion to avoid hindranceis available to break the toggle and to erectthe same. Thus, the lever Ois pivoted to the stud m and provides two contact surfaces TOQand 71,the one or the other of which may be brought against some other partassociated with the toggle to erect or to break it, as the case maybe.These surfaces 70 and 71 are so spaced as to provide sufficient lostmotion to permit the handle 69 to move inefiectively through the majorportion of its breaking stroke before thesurface 70 will impact thetoggle proper and so that only a slight continued ,do so whenever thetoggle is broken.

swings the links P and Q into the dotted line positions. The links P andP in this form are arranged at either side ofthe links Q and Q, and thelinks P and P are contoured to provide stop portions 74 and 7 5 adaptedto limit the swing of the parts; the

portion 7 5 being arranged to be arrested by impact with a suitable partimmediately after the axis to of the toggle has crossed its dead centerand thus prevent any over-swing thereof. The floating link Q is pivotedat one end to the axis w and its other end is in any suitable mannerconnected to swing the switch blade. In this form, this is achieved bymounting the brush of a suitable'craddle or other member R mounted toprovide the necessary movement as, by means of being ivoted t0 the sideo. This craddle R is prefiirably made of sheet metal bent up in aU-shape and the links Q and Q, pass between the side walls of thiscraddle, and are connected to the shaft 2 which is secured between saidside walls and which constitutes a floating pivot of the toggle. Arather strong spring 76 has one end connected iWith a stud 77 on thestationary frame piece 61, and the other end bears against the craddle Rso as strongly to urge the same into its open circuit position and to'be effective to spring 73 may in like manner bear against a pin 72 onthe lever 0 so as to lightly hold the lever in the dotted position whenthe toggle Hence, it is impossible to move the door into eitheropened orclosed position while the switch is on. s

The fact that the door will not close while the'switch is on possesses adecided value in that it may-serve, at any time, when the door is notlocked, to indicate to the oper ator that the switch is on.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthis invention that others can by applying current knowledge readilyadapt it for various applications without omitting certain featuresthat, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention,and therefore such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of thefollowing claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to securethe following combinations of elements, or equivalents thereof, by'Letters Patent of the United States 1. A panel board combining ahousing providing a fuse containing compartment and a switch containingcompartment; a closure member normally closing said fuse containingcompartment and adapted to be displaced to permit the substitution of afuse; a removable switch unit mounted in said other compartment; andmeans automatically locking both said unit and said closure member fromdisplacement when said switch is in live position.

A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, aswitch blade, operating means for the switch blade, a (lisplacableclosure member for said opening, means wherebythe switch blade and itsoperating means may be bodily attached to or removed from the casing, alocking element for the closure member, and a part comprised in saidswitch operating means adapted, upon insertion of the switch operatingmeans, to assume a position to operate said locking element in a mannerto cause an operating of said locking. element coincident with anoperation of said switch operating means.

3. A switch mechanism combining a casing having two openings thereinto,switch mechanism detachably positioned within one of said openings beingof a character to close said opening, a closure member for the secondopening, a locking device for said second closure member extendingbetween said openings, and a movable part comprised in said switchmechanism adapted when said switch mechanism is moved into positionclosing its respective opening to assume operative relation with saidlocking device whereby to operate said locking device coincident with anoperation of the switch mechanism.

4. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, aswitch device arranged within the casing, a closure member for saidopening from which the switch device is supported, means whereby saidclosure member and switch device may be bodily attached to or removedfrom the to be operated by the switch device, and an operating memberfor said movable part comprised in the switch device adapted, by

. ing having an opening thereinto, a displaceable closure member forsaid opening, a switch blade, an operating handle, connections betweenthe operating handle. and the switch blade for operating the switchblade by said handle, a retaining device for the closure member, and aplunger-like part arranged to be moved back and forth by a movable partof said connect-ions adapted for controlling said retaining device.

6. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, adisplaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, anoperating handle, connections between the operating handle and theswitch blade for operating the switch blade by said handle, a retainingdevice for the closure member, said connections including a toggle, anda plunger-like part connected with the knee of the toggle to be movedback and forth thereby for controlling said retaining device.

7. A switch mechanism combining a casing having an opening thereinto, adisplaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, asupporting frame for the switch blade, an operating handle for theswitch blade carried by said frame, operating mechanism between thehandle and the blade also carried by said frame, a part also carried bythe frame operable to effect looking of the closure member, and meansconnecting said part with said operating mechanism to operate said partfrom said operating mechanism.

8. In a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an openingthereinto, a displaceable closure member for said openin a switch blademovable into on and off positions, means normally urging the switchblade off, a toggle adapted to stand in made position to hold the switchblade on and to permit the switch blade to snap oii when the toggle isbroken, an operating handle operable for making and breaking the toggle,and latch for the closure member, the combination therewith of aseparate part connected to the toggle to be operated thereby for movingthe latch to latching position.

operating handle and the switch blade ineluding a part whereby saidseparately formed member is pivotally connected thereto to be slid backand forth thereby.

10. A. switch mechanism comprising a casing having an opening thereinto,a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, anoperating handle, connections between the operating handle and theswitch blade for operating the switch blade by the l andle, saidconnections including a toggle, a retaining device for the closuremember, and a part directly connected with said toggle adapted to bemoved by said toggle for controlling said retaining device. 11. A switchmechanism comprising a casing having an opening thereinto, adisplaceable closure member for said opening, a switch blade, asupporting frame for the switch blade, an operating handle for theswitch blade carried by said frame, operating mechanism between thehandle and the blade being also carried by said frame, said operatingmechanism including a toggle, and a part also carried by the frame andconnected with the toggle operable to effect locking of the closuremember by movement of the toggle.

12. In a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an openingthereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switchblade, a toggle, connections between the toggle and the switch blade bywhich to operate the switch blade from the toggle, and an operatinghandle for the toggle, the combination therewith of a separate movablelatch part for the closure member, and means cooperative between saidlatch part and the toggle to operate said latch .part by movement of thetoggle.

13. In a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an openingthereinto, a displaceable closure member for said openin a switch blade,a toggle, connections between the toggle and the switch blade by whichto operate the switch blade from the toggle, and an operating handle forthe toggle, the combination therewith of a separate mov able latch partfor the closure member, and a part directly connected with the knee ofthe toggle and extending into proximity with said latch part foroperating the latch part by movement of the toggle.

14. in a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an openingthereinto, a displaccablc closure member for said openin a switch blade.a toggle. connections between the toggle and the switch blade by whichto operate the switch blade from the toggle,

and an operating handle for the toggle, the combination therewith of aseparate part connected with the toggle to be operated thereby tointerpose an obstruction for preventing movement of the closure memberfrom open to closed position.

15. In a switch mechanism, comprising a casing having an openingthereinto, a displaceable closure member for said opening, a switchblade, a toggle, connections between the toggle and the switch blade. bywhich to operate the switch blade from the toggle, and an operatinghandle for the toggle, the combination therewith of a separate partconnected with the toggle adapted to be operated thereby to interpose anobstruction for preventing movement of the closure member from closed toopen position.

16. In a switch mechanism comprising a casing having an opening into theupper portion thereof, a displaceable closure memml for said opening,and a lock device for the closure member, said lock device being at theupper portion of the casing, the combination therewith of a pair ofcontacts within the casing arranged one in the upper portion of thecasing and the other in the lower portion of the casing, a double endedswitch blade, a pivotal support by which the switch blade is pivotedintermediate its ends andintermediate the planes of said contacts, anoperating handle for the switch blade, a toggle interposed between theswitch blade and the handle within the upper portion of the casingadapted for operating the switch blade from the handle, and a partconnected with said toggle to be operated thereby and extending intocooperative relation with said locking device for operating said lockingdevice when the toggle is operated to swing the switch blade toward saidcontacts.

17. A switch mechanism comprising a casing having an opening thereinto,a displaceable closure member for said opening, a flexible double-endedswitch blade, a pair of plane faced contacts stationary within thecasing spaced apart, a pivotal support by which the switch blade. ispivoted intermediate said contacts and upon which the switch blade isadapted to be swung to press its opposite ends against the plane facesof said contacts, and means for so swinging the switch blade, thecombination therewith of means dependent u on the position of the switchblade for 100 ing the closure member.

18. A switch mechanism comprising a casing having two compartments, afuse inone compartment, a displaceable closure member for the fusecompartment, a switch blade in the other compartment, an operatinghandle, connections between the operating handle and the switch bladefor operatin the same, said connections including a togg e, a retainingdevice for the closure 0 s 2 e a l switch un1t 1n operative relatlonwlthin said housing, an interlocking device adapted to prevent said unitfrom being removed when the switch is live, and a stationary terminal somounted in said housing as to be practically inaccessible when saidswitch unit has been removed.

20. A panel board combining a housing providing a fuse compartment and aswitch compartment, said compartments having independent openingsthereinto, two closure members one for each of said openings adapted tobe displaced to give access to the respective compartments, a switchunit arranged within the switch compartment being carried by the closuremember of that compartment and being removable therewith, and meansoperable to lock both said closure members against displacement when theswitch is in live position.

21. A safety switch mechanism combining a housing havin an openingthereinto, a switch device withln said housing, a main line terminalwithin the housing, a branch line terminal within the housing spacedfrom the main line terminal, a switch blade comprised in the switchdevice having a art to engage the branch line terminal and aving anotherpart movable to reach into andout of engagement with the main lineterminal, the switch device having a part disposed within the openin ofthe housing serving as a guard member for the parts within the housing,means whereby the switch device is bodily removable from said opening,means to prevent removal of the switch device while the switch blade isin position establishing connection between said terminals, and saidmain line terminal being in a position practically inaccessible fromsaid opening when the switch device is removed.

22. A device of the class described comprising a switch mechanism, astructure for inclosln said switch mechanism embodying a dlsplaceablecover part, said switch mechanism including a movable conductor partmovable into and out of current carrying position, means to so move saidconductor, and means which is controlled by tive with said conductor toserve in conJunction with said conductor to retain the cover againstdisplacement when the switch mechanism is on.

23. A device of the class described comprising a housing having adisplaceable wall part, a switch mechanism connected with said wall partto be bodily displaced therewith whenever said wall part is displaced,said switch mechanism includin a switch blade movable into on and opositions and into and out of position directly constituting meansserving in part to retain the wall part against displacement, operatingmeans for the switch blade also included in said switch mechanism, andmeans operable by said operating means to serve in conjunction with saidswitch blade for retaining the wall part against displacement Wheneverthe switch blade is in the on position.

24. A device of the class described com prising a housing having adisplaceable wall part, a switch mechanism within the housing, a switchblade comprised in the switch mechanism movable into on and offpositions, and into and out of position directly constituting meanstending in part to retain the displaceable wall part againstdisplacement, a toggle included in said switch mechanism for operatingthe switch blade. and means connected to be operated by said toggle andada ted to serve in conjunction with said switch blade to retain thewallpart against displacement.

25. A device of the class described comthe switch blade in retaining thecover,

against displacement.

26. A device of the class described comprising a switch mechanism, asupport for the switch mechanism to which the switch mechanism isdetachably connected, a switch blade comprised in the switch mechanism,and operatinn" means also comprised in the. switch mechanism adapted tomovethe switch blade into on and off positions and into and out of aposition in which said switch blade constitutes means serving in part toretain the switch mechanism against removal-from said support.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the twosubscribing witnesses;

HUBERT F. 'KRANTZ.

Witnesses:

ALBERT F. NATHAN, B. (300x121.

